Teens For Jeans Has Clothed Over 4 Million Homeless Young People To Date

NEW YORK, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aeropostale, Inc. (NYSE: ARO), a mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel for young women and men, and DoSomething.org, the largest not-for-profit organization in the U.S. dedicated to teens and social change, have seen over 4 million pairs of jeans donated in the seven years since the Teen for Jeans campaign launched.  This year alone, teens and schools nationwide teamed with the teen retailer and not-for-profit organization to collect over 800,000 pairs of jeans that have already been donated to homeless teens throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico.

Over 1.5 million children and teens experience homelessness in the U.S. every year. This year alone, teens collected enough jeans to provide clothing for over half of all homeless young people in the country.

A record-breaking 12,000 schools across the United State and Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico, hosted jeans drives to participate in this year's initiative. Decatur High School in Decatur, AL collected the most jeans, (7,282 pairs) and will be receiving a $10,000 grant and a party for the school, as well t-shirts for every student. 

"Teens for Jeans continues to make a difference in the lives of homeless teens around the world," said Scott Birnbaum, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Ecommerce at Aeropostale, Inc. "In seven years our store associates and partners at Do Something have collected and distributed 4.3 million pairs of jeans. It is truly inspiring to see young people come together year after year for this impactful campaign."

"Every year we're so impressed with how enthusiastic young people are about helping young people experiencing homelessness" said Naomi Hirabayashi, Chief Marketing Officer at DoSomething.org.

The campaign launched with a Public Service Announcement from girl singing group, Fifth Harmony. Additional celebrities who supported Teens for Jeans this year by encouraging others to take action included Drew Barrymore, Jason Derulo, Travie McCoy, Fall Out Boy, Justin Long, Shenae Grimes-Beech, China Anne McClain, Ryan Beatty, Avan Jogia, Jillian Rose Reed, Benjamin Stockham, Madison Beer, Taylor Spreitler, and Tyler Oakley. In years past Demi Lovato, Bella Thorne, Kristen Bell, Chloe Grace Moretz, Cody Simpson and Julianne Hough have also helped encourage young people across the country to donate their jeans.

"We are so proud of teens across the country who participated in Teens for Jeans to make this year's campaign so impactful. It just goes to show the power of young people to make a difference on important causes, like homelessness," said Ally Hernandez of Fifth Harmony.

All jeans collected were donated to local area charities and shelters. To learn more about Teens for Jeans, please visit www.teensforjeans.com.

About Aeropostale, Inc.
Aeropostale®, Inc. is a primarily mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and men through its Aeropostale® stores and 4 to 12 year-old kids through its P.S. from Aeropostale® stores. The Company provides customers with a focused selection of high quality fashion and fashion basics at compelling values in an innovative and exciting store environment. Aeropostale® maintains control over its proprietary brands by designing, sourcing, marketing and selling all of its own merchandise. Aeropostale® products can only be purchased in Aeropostale® stores and online at www.aeropostale.com. P.S. from Aeropostale® products can be purchased in P.S. from Aeropostale® stores and online at www.ps4u.com and www.aeropostale.com. The Company currently operates 861 Aeropostale® stores in 50 states and Puerto Rico, 77 Aeropostale stores in Canada and 151 P.S. from Aeropostale® stores in 31 states and Puerto Rico. In addition, pursuant to various licensing agreements, our licensees currently operate 100 Aeropostale® locations and one Aeropostale® and P.S. from Aeropostale® store in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.  On November 13, 2012, Aeropostale, Inc. acquired substantially all of the assets of online women's fashion footwear and apparel retailer GoJane.com, Inc. Based in Ontario, California, GoJane.com focuses primarily on fashion footwear, with a select offering of contemporary apparel and other accessories.

About DoSomething.org:
We love teens. They are creative, active, wired... and frustrated that our world is so messed up. DoSomething.org harnesses that awesome energy and unleashes it on causes teens care about. Almost every week, we launch a new national campaign. The call to action is always something that has a real impact and doesn't require money, an adult, or a car. With a goal of 5 million active members by 2015, DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US for teens and social change. Join us at www.DoSomething.org.

SPECIAL NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE AND ORAL STATEMENTS MADE FROM TIME TO TIME BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMPANY CONTAIN CERTAIN "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" MADE IN RELIANCE UPON THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF SECTION 27A OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 21E OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED, CONCERNING EXPECTATIONS FOR SALES, STORE OPENINGS, GROSS MARGINS, EXPENSES, STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND EARNINGS.  ACTUAL RESULTS MIGHT DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. AMONG THE FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO MATERIALLY DIFFER INCLUDE, CHANGES IN THE COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE, INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PRODUCTS OR PRICING CHANGES BY OUR COMPETITORS, CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY AND OTHER EVENTS LEADING TO A REDUCTION IN DISCRETIONARY CONSUMER SPENDING; SEASONALITY; RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGES IN SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER CONDITIONS AND THE POSSIBLE ADVERSE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN IMPORT RESTRICTIONS; RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH UNCERTAINTY RELATING TO THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT ITS GROWTH STRATEGIES, AS WELL AS THE OTHER RISK FACTORS SET FORTH IN THE COMPANY'S FORM 10-K AND QUARTERLY REPORTS ON FORM 10-Q, FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THE COMPANY UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE OR REVISE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT SUBSEQUENT EVENTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Company Contact:
Christine Miller/Director, Public Relations
(646) 364-0157 or [email protected]

Media Contact:
Colleen Wormsley, (212) 254-2390 ext 254 or [email protected]

SOURCE Aeropostale, Inc.